What You'll Do

  • Apply coatings, such as paint, ink, or lacquer, to protect or decorate workpiece surfaces, using spray guns, pens, or brushes.
  • Examine finished surfaces of workpieces to verify conformance to specifications and retouch any defective areas.
  • Clean and maintain tools and equipment, using solvents, brushes, and rags.
  • Read job orders and inspect workpieces to determine work procedures and materials required.
  • Clean surfaces of workpieces in preparation for coating, using cleaning fluids, solvents, brushes, scrapers, steam, sandpaper, or cloth.
  • Rinse, drain, or wipe coated workpieces to remove excess coating material or to facilitate setting of finish coats on workpieces.
  • Place coated workpieces in ovens or dryers for specified times to dry or harden finishes.
  • Select and mix ingredients to prepare coating substances according to specifications, using paddles or mechanical mixers.
  • Conceal blemishes in workpieces, such as nicks and dents, using fillers such as putty.

Essential Skills

Active Listening 2.88/5
Monitoring 2.88/5
Social Perceptiveness 2.88/5
Coordination 2.88/5
Reading Comprehension 2.75/5
Speaking 2.75/5
Critical Thinking 2.75/5
Time Management 2.62/5
Judgment and Decision Making 2.5/5
Service Orientation 2.38/5
Writing 2.25/5
Active Learning 2.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Artist: Creating original work and expressing ideas feels natural.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Dependability, Cooperation, Achievement/Effort, Persistence

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Near Vision 3.62/5
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.5/5
Visual Color Discrimination 3.38/5
Manual Dexterity 3.25/5
Oral Comprehension 3.0/5
Oral Expression 3.0/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.0/5
Finger Dexterity 3.0/5

Technologies & Tools

Adobe FreeHand MX Adobe Illustrator Adobe Photoshop Corel WordPerfect Office Suite Microsoft Excel

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.24/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 3.71/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 3.61/5)
  • Achievement/Effort (High importance: 3.44/5)
  • Persistence (High importance: 3.25/5)

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How to Become One

Little or no previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for this career. Training is provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Air Brush Decorator Air Brush Operator Airbrush Painter Art Gilder Babbitter Bake Off Decorator Bakery Decorator Balloon Dipper Banner Painter Barrel Coater Barrel Liner Battery Container Finishing Hand Bisque Ware Dipper Blocker Bottom Painter Bowling Pin Refinisher Braze Applicator Brush Hand Brush Painter Brusher Bun Icer Button Spindler Cake Decorator Carroter Ceramic Painter Chalker China Decorator Clip Coater Clock Hands Dipper Clock Hands Painter Coater Coater Operator Coating Operator Coating Technician Colorer Cork Painter Decal Applier Decal Decorator Decal Maker Decaler Decorator Design Painter Dial Marker Dial Painter Dial Refinisher Dipper Drawer Waxer Drier Duller Duster Dyer Edge Stainer Electroless Plater Electrostatic Painter Embossed Lettering Painter Enamel Applier Enamel Finisher Enameler Enrobing Machine Corder Filler Film Coater Finisher Foam Gun Operator Fur Blender Furniture Stainer Gilder Glass Bulb Silverer Glass Decorator Glass Manufacturing Decorator Glass Tinter Glaze Sprayer Glazer Gold Letterer Hand Bander Hand Candle Dipper Hand Candy Dipper Hand Decorator Hand Funnel Coater Hand Painter Hand Sign Writer Hand Sprayer Hand Striper Hand Touch Up Painter Hat Sprayer Highlighter Impressed Lettering Painter In Mold Coater Inker Inlayer Japanner Jewelry Enameler Keg Varnisher Lacquer Sprayer Lacquerer Latexer Leather Coater Lens Coater Lens Coating Technician Letterer Lighting Fixtures Decorator Liner Luster Applicator Mannequin Coloring Artist Mannequin Decorator Mannequin Refinisher Manugrapher Map Colorer Masker Mirror Maker Mirror Painter Mirror Silverer Neckties Painter Neon Sign Maker Opaquer Optical Glass Silverer Oxidizer Painter Painting Technician Painting Worker Panel Edge Painter Panman Paper Stripper Paster Pattern Painter Pinner Plate Painter Porcelain Enamel Repairer Porcelain Enameler Porcelain Finish Sprayer Pottery and Porcelain Liner Pottery Decorator Powder Coat Painter Powder Coater Powderer Print Decorator Production Metal Sprayer Putty Glazer Resin Coater Rug Backing Stenciler Rug Touch-Up Painter Screen Printer Shader Shellacker Sign Artist Sign Fabricator Sign Letterer Sign Painter Sign Writer Silicator Silk-Screen Operator Silver Spray Worker Silverer Ski Edge Painter Smoking Pipe Liner Soaper Spray Gun Operator Spray Gun Striper Spray Gunner Spray Painter Spray Technician (Spray Tech) Sprayer Stager Stainer Starcher Stenciler Stiffener Stove Refinisher Striper Stripper Thermal Spray Operator Tile Decorator Tinter Touch-Up Painter Toy Painter Tracer Trademark Affixer Under Seal Operator Undercoater Wallcovering Texturer Watch Hands Dipper Watch Hands Painter Waxer White Shoe Ragger Window Tinter Wiper Wood Stainer